Wines   Amberley Margaret River Cabernet/Merlot 1998 - Australia
CLUB: S / RO
Seamless and firmly structured, the Amberley River 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot appears as a first rate Bordeaux, requesting your patience to let it breathe for several hours before it fully reveals all of its complexity and charm. And when it blossoms from its youthful reticence, Wow! You're in for a real treat. Look for currant, blackberry, and cedar to dominate this wine's nose, while cedar and black fruits dominate the palate. Note pepper, spice, and subtle oak encased in a solid core of tannin in the finish. Unquestionably, Amberly's flavor profile, as well as its cepage (5% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot and 65% Cabernet Sauvignon), mirror a top rate Bordeaux. Be patient with this one and you'll be handsomely rewarded. We'd suggest serving it at cool room temperature (60-65° F).
Wines   Amberley Margaret River Sauvignon Semillon 1999 - Australia
CLUB: S / WO
Crafted to be a crowd pleaser, we found Amberley River's 1999 Semillon Sauvignon Blanc an expressive, easy to drink treat that really should be enjoyed with another…primarily as it would be far too easy to drink the entire bottle yourself! A blend of 15% Sauvignon Blanc and 85% Semillon, we found this delightful interpretation of a classic white Bordeaux to combine the best characteristics of both grape varietals: a hint of nuttiness - a result of partial barrel fermentation of Semillon complementing a fresh herbaceous nose that is followed by mineral and lively citrus flavors. Look for an herbal characteristic on the palate that reminded us of Bordeaux. You may also pick up more complex flavors of grapefruit and citrus as well. After a few minutes airing, we discovered more subtle, tropical fruit flavors, attesting to the full ripeness of the Sauvignon Blanc. Note a long and relatively intense finish offering a mélange of vibrant, clean, fresh fruit, and gentle oak. The 1999 Amberly Sauvignon Semillion is perfect for immediate consumption, yet promises reward for additional medium term cellaring. We recommend serving it chilled. Enjoy!
Wines   Torreon Cabernet Sauvignon 1998 - Chile
CLUB: RO
Vinedos Torreon's 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon nothing short of a striking wine offering pure, rich fruit as well as a firm, yet not aggressive structure. Look for scents of cassis, blackberry, and eucalyptus in the nose which seem to offer a bouquet resultant in a marriage of a top-notch Australian Cabernet and a fine Bordeaux. Lush and fully satisfying, note ripe blackcurrant with traces of herb, mint, spices, and oak dominating the flavor of this easy to drink Cabernet Sauvignon. We found that the one year hiatus in oak coupled with the addition of a small amount of Merlot to the cepage, left this Cab a perfect candidate for immediate consumption.
Wines   Hunold Pinot Gris 1999 - France
CLUB: WO
The Hunold vineyard's 1999 Pinot Gris is loaded with the flavors and scents of ripe, luscious fruit and a hint of the Orient. We found it to combine spicy mineral tones and an overt fruitiness, offering a slight hint of sugar. We'd suggest serving it chilled. Enjoy!
S = Standard Red & White Shipment RO = Reds Only Shipment WO = Whites Only Shipment